History of St Ciarán’s NS

St. Ciarán’s National School was opened on the 9th of September 1974, the feast day of St. Ciarán. The site was purchased from Mr. Paul Gill of Castlejordan. The site cost £850.00 and the building of the school cost £53,000. It was formed by the amalgamation of Castlejordan Boys School, Castlejordan Girls School and Garr mixed school. It was originally a 5-teacher school comprising 5 classrooms, a GP room, a staffroom, 3 toilet units and a staff toilet. The initial staff employed were:

• Ms Anne Brady – Principal
• Mrs Walsh – Vice Principal
• Mr John Quinn
• Ms Kathleen Lynch
• Ms Kitty Quinn

Sadly, Miss Brady passed away in August of that year and did not live to take up her post. John Quinn became Principal; Mrs Walsh became Vice Principal. Kathleen Lynch and Kitty Quinn remained teaching staff, leaving a vacancy.

The pupils were divided into four classes, Juniors & Seniors, 1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th and 5th & 6th. After a short time, Ms Mary Dunne was appointed the fifth teacher. The class divisions then changed to juniors and seniors, 1st class and part of 2nd class, part of second class & third class, 4th class and part of 5th class and finally part of 5th class and 6th class. After a short time, there was enough pupils for a 6th teacher. Mary Sharkey was the 6th teacher. The GP room was at this stage utilised as a classroom. This remained so until 1986 when an extension consisting of a classroom, toilets, staffroom, library and a store room was opened at a cost of £45,000.

There were no computers or laptops. Oral Irish was taught using a projector and film strips. Religion was taught from 12 noon to 12.30 with the Parish Priest or Curate visiting the school on a regular basis at this time and taking a class.

The infant class teacher would take the 5th & 6th class girls for knitting, sewing & crochet.

After some years the senior classes were taken by bus to Clogherinkoe school for computer lessons. A prefab was purchased at a later date and a teacher came in to teach this to the pupils.

Special education teachers visited the school and carried out the resource teaching.

A Secretary was employed in the late 90’s and a SNA was appointed on 9th February 2002.

School Principals down through the years –

This school history was provided by our dear friend and colleague Mrs. Kitty Quinn, who was the original Deputy Principal in the school in 1974. Her impact on the school and village of Castlejordan cannot be understated and we thank her for her commitment.